The Prince George Cougars selected goalie Taylor Gauthier of the Calgary Bisons with their first pick, 9th overall in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.
Gauthier was the first goalie taken in the Draft and is the first goaltender ever to be selected by the Cougars in the first round of the WHL Bantam Draft. The only goaltender ever selected earlier in a WHL Bantam Draft was Carey Price (7th overall in 2002, Tri-City Americans).
Gauthier, an Alberta Cup champion, was named the Top Goaltender of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League (South) in each of the past two seasons. His record this season was 15-1-3 with a .948 save percentage, a 1.22 goals-against-average and seven shutouts. In nine playoff games he went 6-3 with a .933 save percentage and a 1.64 goals-against-average.
“Taylor Gauthier is the best goaltender in this draft and one of the best goaltending prospects that I have seen,” said Prince George Cougars General Manager, Todd Harkins. “He’s big, athletic, moves well and his compete level is off the charts. He’s just a competitor and wants to win and he has that fire we like in goaltenders.”
Players selected in the first round of the Bantam Draft by position:
Forwards – 11
Defencemen – 8
Goaltenders – 2
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After winning the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft Lottery to retain the number one selection, the Kootenay ICE chose forward Peyton Krebs from Okotoks, AB first overall.
Five first-round trades made for an interesting start to the day as 228 players in total were selected. Alberta led the way with 74 players selected, followed by British Columbia (49), Saskatchewan (41), Manitoba (37) and the United States (25) while the Yukon and Northwest Territories each saw a player chosen.
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With their second round selection (31st overall) in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft, the Prince George Cougars have selected defenceman Cole Beamin of Saskatoon.
Beamin is 6’3”, 189 pounds and is a right handed shot who scored 10 goals, 12 assists and registered 64 penalty minutes in 30 games with the Saskatoon Outlaws Bantam AA program.
“Beamin was a player that we had ranked far higher than where he ended up,” said Prince George Cougars Scouting Director Bob Simmonds.
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The Cougars went back to Saskatoon to select defenceman Jack Michell in the third round (53rd overall).
In 2015-16, Michell (6’1”, 170 pounds) scored six goals, added 12 assists and added 60 penalty minutes in 30 games with the Saskatoon Stallions (Bantam AA).
“Michell was too good an option to pass up at this point in the draft,” stated Cougars Saskatchewan scout Jason Gordon.
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In round five (97th overall), the Cougars drafted forward Keegan Craik of Richmond.
Craik stands 5’11”, weighs 150 pounds and registered 16 goals, six assists and 50 penalty minutes in 25 games with the Delta Hockey Academy Wild Bantam Prep Team.
In Round six, the Cougars selected forward Jesse Mistelbacher of Iles Des Chenes, Manitoba.
Mistelbacher is 5’11”, 150 pounds and finished the 2015-16 season with 16 goals, 25 assists and 18 penalty minutes with the Eastman Selects (Bantam AAA Manitoba).
In round seven, the Cougars took a pair of forwards; Edge Lambert of Grand Prairie and Zachary Bolton of North Vancouver.
In round nine, Prince George selected defenceman Eric Parker of Calgary.
In round 10, the Cougars drafted defenceman Francis La Roue of Surrey.
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P.G. Farr Fabricating Bantam Tier 1 Cougars defenceman Colton Kitchen was drafted by the Kootenay Ice in the 9th round, 177th overall.
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Cariboo Cougars prospect Dylan Couzens from Whitehorse was selected in the first round of the
WHL Bantam Draft, 19th overall by the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Couzens will attend the Cariboo Spring Identification Camp this weekend at the Elks Centre.
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Fans have voted Joe Sakic as the best WHL Player of all time.
Bobby Clarke came second in the list of 50 with Carey Price 3rd.
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Dryden Hunt of the Moose Jaw Warriors won the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy which goes to the
WHL Player of the Year.
The 20-year-old Hunt scored a league-leading 58 goals and tallied 58 assists for 116 points to go along with a plus-12 rating in all 72 games.